Heroes

Karaoke fans – it’s time to celebrate,Heroesis now open for business. Melbourne’s much-anticipated new Hawker-style barbecue, karaoke and rooftop bar opened to the public last weekend with patrons already belting out their favourite tunes.

This is a new milestone for the team from Fancy Hank’s and Good Heavens(Mike Patrick, Kent Bell, Daragh Kan and Myles Munro), having previously specialised in American-style barbecue. Head chef Alicia Cheong has created a bar menu cooked entirely over fire and coals that is fresh, tasty and meant to be eaten fast, all while staying true to her Singaporean heritage. Heroes executive chef Mike Patrick said: “After a year of planning and building, we were so eager to finally open the doors over the weekend. So far so good with a fantastic response from customers”.

Between devouring tasty skewers and barbecue plates on level two, the cocktail menu hits all the right notes with perfect South East Asian paired flavours curated by Oscar Eastmen (Loretta's, Eau de Vie). For those with a sweet tooth, Chai a little tendernesswith Sailor Jerry spiced rum, chai, condensed milk and preserved mandarin is sure to please, as well as the Gold Finger with Szechuan-infused Wyborowa vodka, seaweed brine, kaffir lime, chilli and lemon grass-infused Sake and Laphroaig. Six rotating taps boast a range of local craft and international beers, as well as more than 20 brews by the bottle. The wine list has also been created to match the smoky and zesty bar food.

Moving up to the rooftop bar on level three, the long, colourfully lit space is cosy enough for a winter tipple. Featuring low hanging neon lighting, pop music posters and a forest worth of plants, the rooftop is the perfect place to escape from the hustle and bustle of Bourke Street. Venue designer and co-owner Kent Bellhas nicely replicated a space reminiscent of the back-street bars of Kuala Lumpur.

So far, one out of the two planned karaoke levels have opened, with the space currently functioning as an open karaoke lounge blasting out your choice of Mariah and Cher classics. Over the next few months, private karaoke rooms are set to open. This is a great zone for large group hangs or meeting a fellow karaoke lover. Bookings will be available online once the private karaoke booths have been completed, the current space is free until then.